Lost and Found
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: A Cruise to Hawaii for the family turns tragic when Melody loses her memory after being thrown from the boat during a storm. R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: This idea came to me as I was finishing up "I Remember Music!" I hope everyone likes it!

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 1

It was a warm night in mid July.

Melody was in the music room of the palace, playing the piano. She was supposed to be practicing a song Sebastian had assigned her for an upcoming gala in Atlantica.

Instead of the melodic sounds of "The Greatest Treasures of the Sea" floating throughout the rooms of the palace, it was replaced by the sound of "He's Never Failed Me yet."

"Melody, child!" Sebastian scolded when he heard what she was doing. "How do you expect to learn de song in time for de gala if you don't practice it?"

"I am practicing." Melody insisted.

"Dat doesn't sound like de song I gave you." He said.

Melody shrugged.

"That's because it's not." She said with a frown as a sigh escaped her lips. "Okay, Sebastian. I'll practice for a little bit." With that, she started playing the song Sebastian had assigned her originally.

"Dat's more like it." He said with an approving smile.

After he was sure Melody wasn't going to stray from her assignment, he went in search of Ariel.

The crab found his long time friend in the bedroom she shared with her husband, Eric.

As he entered, he saw a suitcase on the bed.

"What's going on?" Sebastian asked.

Ariel glanced up from what she was doing and grinned.

"Oh, hey Sebastian! I'm packing for our trip." She explained.

"What trip is dis?" He asked.

Ariel's grin grew.

"Eric's taking me and Melody on a cruise to a place called Hawaii! I can't wait!"

"AM I invited?" He asked. "I've been to Hawaii before. It's a jammin' place."

"Sure!" Ariel replied. "I'm sure Eric won't mind."

It was then that Sebastian realized there wasn't a sound coming from the music room.

"I don't hear any practicing!" He called in the general direction of where Melody was.

The piano started up again, but this time Melody was playing "Part of Your World."  
Sebastian sighed.

"Dat girl is working on mi last nerve! You tell her to practice a certain song for a certain reason and what does she do?"

Ariel giggled.

"What?"

"Melody's just being Melody." She said. "She really loves music."

"I wish she would show it more often." The crab grumbled.

"Don't' worry." Ariel assured him. "Melody will be ready for the gala next month."

"I hope you're right." Sebastian said as he hopped onto her dresser.

Later that night, Ariel told Melody about their vacation plans as she tucked her in for bed.

The little girl became excited immediately. She loved going new places with her mother.

"Awesome!" Melody exclaimed. "This is going to be so cool!"

Ariel giggled.

"I think so too. Now, you need your rest."

Melody nodded and laid down.

Ariel sung her a few songs and then kissed her good night.

Once she was sure the ten-year-old was going to be okay, she left the room.

"So did you tell Melody about the cruise?" Eric asked as he snuggled up next to his wife.

Ariel nodded.

"She was really excited. I think she was as excited as I am!"

Eric chuckled.

"I'm glad. I just hope she can handle being on water and not being able to go in it as much."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Ariel said. "She's pretty good about listening to us."

"You mean she's pretty good about listening to you." Eric said with a small smile.

Ariel swatted him playfully in the arm before letting him comb a hand through her hair.

Ariel fell asleep soon after in the safest place she knew.

The day of the cruise dawned bright and warm.

Ariel awoke an hour before Melody in order to get things ready and make sure her suitcase was packed properly.

Eric had been up two hours before her. This was because he had some last minute things to take care of in his study before he finished packing.

When Ariel woke Melody up, her daughter was tired at first.

But once Ariel reminded her what they were doing, she became more alert.

After Ariel helped Melody pack her own suitcase and get a fun bag together, they went downstairs to meet Eric.

Both mother and daughter were raring to go. They were ready for a new adventure.

When they arrived on the ship a few hours later, Melody gazed around at the sights and took everything in with ten-year-old curiosity.

She grinned when she saw the size of the deck. Her grin grew even wider when she saw the railing that surrounded the boat.

Ariel caught on immediately and shook her head.

"No way." She said firmly. "Absolutely not."

"What?" Melody asked innocently.

"You are not to jump off the side of this boat, even when it's docked. Am I understood?"

"But Mom, we're gonna be on water." Melody protested. "I can just use my…"

"No but Mom me anything, Melody. I mean it. You are not to use the side of the boat as a diving board. Am I understood?"

Melody sighed.

"Yes." She said resignedly.

"Good." Ariel said, softening a little. "Okay. Let's go look around a little bit before we unpack." With that, she led Melody onto the boat and they both followed Eric down a flight of stairs that led to the dining area.

As much as Melody tried, she couldn't stop thinking about how much fun it would be to jump off the side of the boat and turn into a mermaid once she reached the water.

Even though she had promised her mother she wouldn't do it, a big part of her wanted to try it at least once.

"All right, Mel. Here you go. " Ariel said as she placed some lunch in front of her. "After you're done eating, we'll unpack and then you can go explore the boat a little."

"Awesome!" Melody exclaimed. "Mom, can I explore on my own, please? I promise I'll be careful."

Ariel thought about this for a few minutes before nodding.

"Sebastian has to go with you though."

"I do?" Sebastian asked.

"Mom, I don't need a baby-sitter!" Melody protested.

Ariel sighed.

"Sweetheart, I know you're really independent, but this is a new place. I don't want you wandering around alone."

"Okay." Melody complied as she dug into her lunch.

After the family was done eating, they went to their rooms to unpack.

Melody's room was right next to her parents'.

She put her fun bag on the floor before half unpacking her suitcase. She knew her mother wouldn't mind.

"Great!" She said after she had put the last thing away. "Let's go!" With that, she ran from the room and up on deck.

She called to her parents and let them know where she was going.

"Be careful, Mel!" Ariel called after her. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" Melody called back as she turned a corner and headed up the stairs.

Once on deck, she ducked behind some cartons before making her move.

Yanking on a chain that was half hidden beneath her clothes, she pulled out the necklace her mother had given her for her tenth birthday.

Sebastian shook his head when eh saw what she was planning to do.

"No, no, no, no!" He said sharply. "Dere is no way I'm going to let you…Your mudder will kill me!"

Melody giggled.

"No she won't. Besides, I gotta try it just once. I Promise after that, I won't do it again. Besides, Mom's not even here. She'll never know." With that, she concentrated with all her might and let he necklace's power surround her.

As she felt the transformation reaching an end, she made a mad dash for the side of the boat.

"Melody, don't you even tink about…aaah!" His voice trailed off as he felt himself momentarily flying through the air. "AAAARIELL!!!!"

Melody pushed off with all her might just as the transformation was complete.

She let out a scream, but it was one of delight. She had never felt so free in her life!

"This is awesome! Isn't it, Sebastian!" She called as she hit the water with a slap of her purple tail.

Surfacing once again, she took a minute to relax before she realized she had lost someone.

"Sebastian? Sebastian?"

The crab surfaced moment's later, sputtering water.

"Melody, I can't believe you did dat! I saw my whole life flash before my eyes!"

"Wasn't it great?" She said with a giggle.

"Dat isn't exactly de word I would use. Now, we better get back on dat boat before your mudder finds out."

"Sebastian, relax. Mom and Dad are below deck. They're not gonna know. We'll be back before you know it." Hang on!" With that, she took off with a burst of speed towards the boat that was now floating away.

"Aah! De boat is leaving!" Sebastian cried as he clung to Melody's fin.

"You stress out too much." Melody commented.

"With you as a friend, I wonder why." Sebastian quipped.

Melody ignored him as she aw the boat slow down for a minute.

Taking her chance, she made a swim for it.

She managed to get a hold of a rope that held a few barrels in place and started climbing it.

"Your tail, girl! Your tail!"

"Oops!" She said with a giggle. "I almost forgot." With that ,she pulled the necklace out and let it do its job.

Once her feet hit the deck, she sighed with relief.

"That was incredible!" She exclaimed.

"Incredibly dangerous!" Sebastian commented. "If you ever do anyting like dat again…"

"I told you I wasn't only doing it once." Melody said with a shrug. "Chill out."

"Dat's a good idea." He said. "I'm gonna get a tan."

"Suit yourself." Melody said. "I'm gonna read for a while."

"On second tought," Sebastian said as he got a wiff of the galley. "I'm gonna see what your mudder's doing for dinner." With that, he was gone.

"Finally." Melody said with a sigh of relief. "I'll prove to Mom that I don't need a baby-sitter." With that, she got a book out and made herself comfortable on the side of the deck.

But as much as she tried to concentrate on the story, her mind kept floating back to what she had just done.

And even though she promised Sebastian she wouldn't do it again, her heart was telling her otherwise.

Finally, after ten minutes of trying to read, Melody put the book away and ventured to the side of the boat once more.

Glancing around to make sure nobody was watching, she prepared to descend for a second time.

It was only when she saw a pod of dolphins, did she get another idea.

Pulling a pair of binoculars out of her bag, she started dolphin watching.

This interested her for approximately five minutes.

Putting the binoculars away, Melody stood at the railing and found her gaze wandering to the water below.

As she continued to gaze down at the sparkling blue water below, the ten-year-old got an idea.

But before she could put it into action, she heard a sharp Jamaican accent address her from behind.

"Melody, child! Don't you even tink about it."

Melody whirled around, her chestnut brown hair flowing behind her like a wave.

"Sebastian!" She exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you went with Mom to get something to eat."

The crab ignored her question.

"Don't try and change de subject! I saw what you were going to do. If you even try it again, your mudder will beach you until next week and crack me!"

Melody giggled.

"Oh, silly Sebastian! You worry too much. I'll be careful. Besides, Mom's…"  
"Right behind you." Ariel finished for her.

Melody turned to face her and tried to look innocent.

"Hey Mom! Did you and Daddy have fun?"

"We had a nice time." Ariel told her. "Mel, I know you're bored, sweetheart. And I know how hard it is for you to be on water and not be able to go in it. But jumping off the boat, even when it's docked is dangerous."

Melody sighed.

Without thinking, she replied, "No it's not."

Ariel raised her eyebrow.

"And how would you know?"

Melody gasped as she realized what she had just said.

"Melody, look at me right now. " Ariel commanded.

Melody did so. She knew her mother wasn't messing about.

"Did you or did you not jump off the side of this boat after I specifically told you not to?"

Sebastian started shivering. The reason was, he had been with her at the time.

Ariel gave Sebastian a confused look mixed with a little concern.

"Sebastian, what's wrong?" She asked. "You're not in trouble."

"I will be if Melody tells you de truth." He said meekly.

"No you won't." Ariel assured him. She turned her attention back to her daughter. She gave her an expectant look. "Melody?"

Melody sighed. She knew she couldn't lie to her mother.

"I only tried it once." She admitted.

"Melody Noelle Coralsen!" Ariel scolded sternly. "I warned you not to do that before we even got on the ship."

"I know. " Melody said.

"So if I warned you before hand, why did you do it anyway when you knew it was wrong?"

Melody didn't have an answer for her mother on that one.

"I don't know." She said softly.

"Well, you're going to have plenty of time to come up with an answer." Ariel told her. "You're beached for the rest of the night and tomorrow."

"But Mom!" Melody protested. "That's not fair!"

"You should have thought of that before you decided to disobey me." Ariel replied. With that, she led Melody back to her room and left her alone once inside.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 2

She made sure to tell her she loved her and give her something to eat before she left. She never punished Melody without letting her know she was loved in spite of what she did.

Sighing heavily, Melody flopped down on the bed. She didn't even touch the veggie burger and tatter tots her mother had left for her. She wasn't very hungry at the moment.

Fingering the necklace her mother had given her for her tenth birthday, she felt tears come to her eyes. She wanted more than anything to use it and go for a swim, but she dare not risk getting caught a second time.

Ariel wasn't even aware Melody had used the necklace. And even if she was, she hadn't put two and two together yet.

Melody just prayed it stayed that way. She couldn't bare it if her mother took her necklace away. It was her only link to Atlantica when she couldn't be there and her only way of turning into a mermaid at will.

Her mother had given her the necklace on her tenth birthday. It contained powers in it only Melody could use. Ariel had one to. This was just in case Melody ever needed her help and they were separated from one another.

The one Melody had was one Ariel's mother, Athena had passed down to Ariel and Ariel had passed down to Melody.

Ariel's was one her father had replicated for her as a back up in case anything happened to the original.

But so far, Melody had taken very good care of it.

As the ten-year-old fingered the gold and blue seashell with pink fish gems on the front, she could almost see her mermaid form taking shape in her mind.

She loved the feeling of moving freely through the waves, her long brown hair flowing behind her.

Her tail was a light purple color and she loved that too!

Her thoughts of her second home were interrupted when she heard a tapping at her window.

Glancing up, Melody grinned despite herself.

Scuttle was sitting on the window sill looking as though he wasn't sure he was supposed to be there.

Getting up from her bed, Melody opened the window for him.

"Hey there, kiddo!" He said as he flew in. "I heard you got yourself in some trouble."

Melody nodded.

"I don't really wanna talk about it." She said as she made herself comfortable on her bed once again.

"I gotcha. I gotcha." Scuttle said as he flew over and landed on her dresser. "So Hawaii, huh?" He asked after a few minutes of silence had passed. "I've been there once. You're gonna love it!"

"If I ever get out of my room." Melody said with a sigh. "I know I shouldn't have done it, but…" Her voice trailed off as a small smile spread across her face. "It was so awesome!"

Scuttle chuckled at the child's words.

The two friends talked for a little while longer before Scuttle decided to see what Ariel was up to.

Melody waved good bye as she watched him fly off. She secretly hoped he would be able to talk her mother into lifting her punishment, but she knew it was a long shot.

Sighing to herself, Melody laid down and was asleep in minutes.

She wasn't sure how long she had been sleeping, but she was soon woken up by the gentle touch of her mother.

"I'm sorry." Melody mumbled as she felt Ariel stroke her hair.

"I know you are." She replied. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. I love you, Mel. Sweet dreams." With that, Ariel kissed her cheek and left the room.

"Watch her." She whispered to Sebastian as he hopped onto the dresser.

The crab nodded even though he wanted to be doing anything else. He did care about the child greatly. He also loved Ariel, so he took the job of baby-sitter without too much complaining.

Once Ariel was sure they both would be okay, she left the room to rejoin Eric in theirs.

They had talked about Melody's punishment together and Eric had gotten Ariel to reduce it to half a day.

Ariel wasn't going to tell Melody this until morning though. She wanted her daughter to really think about what she had done and realize how dangerous it was…

It was a few hours later when Melody felt someone shaking her awake. It felt like her mother, but she could tell something was wrong as well.

"Come on, Mel, we need to go now!" Ariel urged her. She was trying to remain calm, but Melody could hear the panic in her voice.

"Ma-Mom?" Melody asked as she woke up. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later. " Ariel told her. "Come on, sweetheart." With that, she picked her up and rushed out of the room.

It was only when they gained the hallway, did Melody hear screaming and the crashing sound of thunder and the crackling of flames.

"Mom! What's going on!" Melody cried as fear started to grip her.

"Just hang on and don't let go!" Ariel assured her. "You're okay. I have you!" She was trying to be soothing, but she had to yell in order to be heard over the chaos going on around them.

"You don't have to tell me twice, girl!" Sebastian shrieked as he clung onto a strand of Ariel's long red hair.

Melody obeyed without question.

"Eric!" Ariel called as loudly as her voice would allow over the noise of the burning ship and panic of the people aboard. "Eric!"

She felt a hand grab her right arm just as she started to cough a little from the smoke.

"Ariel, I'm right here!" Eric assured her. "Come on. We have to get off the boat now!"

Ariel didn't argue with him on that point. She knew he was right.

"Mom!" Melody cried from the safety of her mother's embrace. "Mom, I'm scared!"

"It's okay, Mel!" Ariel soothed. "We'll be safe soon. Pray!"

Melody didn't need to be told twice.

As they continued to try and find a way off the ship, Ariel found herself alone with Melody at one point.

The sound of flames licking at he side of the boat caused Melody to cry out in fear.

"Melody, listen to me!" Ariel said as gently as she could. "I'm gonna use my necklace to turn us both. When I do, I'm going to dive for the ocean. You might feel like you're falling, but all you're going to hit is water. Don't be afraid. Once you do, you'll be able to swim to safety. If we get separated, use your own necklace to send out a signal and I'll find you!" She instructed.

"Okay. But what about Daddy!" Melody cried in alarm. "We can't leave him!"

"We won't!" Ariel assured her. "I'll find him after we're both safe."

Melody trusted her mother without a second thought. If her mother said it was going to be okay, it generally meant everything would be fine.

Holding Melody close with one arm, Ariel yanked on the blue and gold pendant beneath her shirt with the other.

She tried her best to concentrate, but it wasn't easy with all the noise going on around her.

"Mom, hurry!" Melody urged tearfully.

The sound of her little girl's tearful voice gave Ariel the strength she needed to do what she had to do.

As Ariel felt the power surround her and Melody, she concentrated with all her might.

As she felt the transformation starting, she made a break for the nearest railing.

It wasn't hard to find a place to dive off. Half of the ship was destroyed by this point.

As the transformation concluded, Ariel pushed off with all her strength towards the water below.

But as she let go of the railing, Melody started to slip from her hold.

"Mom!" Melody cried forgetting she was only half transformed at this point. "Ma-Mom!"

"Melody, hang on!" Ariel cried. She tried to reach for her, but it was no use.

Melody fell backward on to the deck with a thud.

"Melody!" Ariel cried again.

It was then that she saw it. A speedboat was coming their way and it was coming fast.

"No!" Ariel cried as she watched the boat slam into theirs.

As Melody came to, she tried to get to the water, but she was thrown backward yet again as something hard slammed into her side.

Landing in the water head first, Melody felt her world go black.

It wasn't long after that the ship exploded.

Unbeknownst to Ariel and Melody, Eric had jumped overboard five minutes before Melody had been thrown. He was safe and looking frantically for his wife and child.

"Melody!" Ariel screamed as she searched the water for her missing daughter. "Melody!"

She prayed to God that Melody was all right. She had seen what happened to her, but she couldn't have been…Her precious Melody had to be okay. She just had to be. She was just a child. A little girl-Ariel and Eric's little girl. She had to be all right.

Ariel continued to pray and search for the next few hours.

She wasn't successful until nearly midnight.

When she first glimpsed her daughter, she was relieved and thankful that she was alive.

The young mother's relief and gratitude was short lived when she saw how injured she was.

She had cuts and some burns on her face and chest from the boat exploding. She also appeared to have a bruise on her right arm.

"Melody!" Ariel gasped. She carefully picked her daughter up and swam for the nearest seaport.

She knew she couldn't get to Atlantica fast enough and Melody needed help now.

Praying that she would find Eric there as well, Ariel picked the nearest one she could find.

This happened to be one near a town called Dolphin Cove.

It didn't take Ariel long to get there. She explained to the medics what had happened and pleaded with them to help her daughter.

She made sure she had turned back into a Human before approaching them. She didn't need them fainting from fear upon seeing her in her mermaid form.

It felt like hours, but was really only twenty-minutes when they reached the nearest hospital.

One of the medics, a woman named Lucy, explained to Ariel that a lot of the victims from the boat explosion were there.

Ariel prayed Eric was as well.

When they got there, Ariel ran alongside the bed they had put Melody in as the doctors wheeled her towards the ER.

A kind faced woman named Janie, explained to Ariel that she couldn't' go any further than the doors. She promised to get her once Melody was stabilized.

Ariel gave Melody a kiss and told her she loved her before leaving her side.

She went in search of Eric next. She asked one of the people working at the desk if they had seen him.

The woman's face lit up in recognition.

"Yes, he's here." She told a very relieved Ariel. "He's getting sutured up. He should be done soon. Other than a few cuts, he appears to be fine."

"Thank God." She said sincerely.

The woman nodded.

"Amen to that." She said. She then offered to get Ariel

some tea, which the young woman accepted graciously.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: I'm just on a roll with this one! This is where the story really takes off! I hope everyone likes it!

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 3

Melody awoke feeling very disoriented. She was sore and she felt sick in her stomach.

She tried her best to remember anything before she had woken up, but her mind was a total blank.

The harder she tried to think, the more her head hurt.

As she opened her eyes all the way, she found herself in a semi dark room.

She heard a beeping sound as well as the sound of many voices around her.

"Wha-what's going on?" She asked fearfully. "Whe-where am I?"

"Shh," A soft voice said to her left. "You're gonna be fine. My name is Dr. Janie Smith. You can call me Janie if you like. Can you tell me your name?"

Janie already knew the patient's name due to the little girl's mother giving it to her, but she wanted to see how much the child remembered or if she remembered anything at all.

Melody tried her best to answer, but it was hard.

"I don't know!" She cried after a minute or so of thinking. "I'm sorry! I don't know!"

"It's all right, sweetie." Janie assured her. She then did some routine tests to see if the child could follow directions. "Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

Melody glanced up and nodded.

"Four." She said softly.

"That's right. Good girl. All right. Do you know what day it is?"

Melody nodded.

"Friday." She answered.

"Good. Your Mommy's going to be so glad to see you're awake. I'll go get her just as soon as we finish a few more tests. Would you like that?"

Melody nodded. She didn't know why, but the sound of her mother being there made her feel a little better.

"Why don't I know my name!" Melody asked tearfully.

Janie sighed.

"You were in an accident, honey. You were thrown from a boat and hit your head. You have what's called amnesia. That's when your memory goes away for a while."

"Will it come back?" She asked softly.

"Eventually." Janie told her. "Your Mommy and Daddy will help you get better. I know they will. They're really nice people. Your Mommy's name is Ariel and your Daddy's name is Eric."

"What's my name?" The little girl asked finally.

"Melody." Janie replied.

The little girl ran the name over in her mind for a few minutes before deciding she liked it.

"Melody's a pretty name." She commented.

"It is a pretty name." Janie agreed. She was happy to see that Melody was talking on her own and expressing her feelings without being asked. That was a very good sign.

"My head hurts!" Melody cried suddenly.

"I know it does, Melody. It's gonna hurt for a while. You just need a lot of rest. Do you feel anything else besides pain?"

"What do you mean?" Melody asked.

Janie blushed.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I meant do you feel dizzy or sick in your tummy?"

"My tummy feels a little sick." Melody confirmed. She let out a fearful sob. "I want my Mommy!"

Janie's heart broke for the little girl. She could imagine how scared she was.

"You'll see her soon." Janie assured her. "Do you think you can try and drink some juice for me?"

"My tummy hurts!" Melody cried.

"I know it does, Melody. I know. Do you wanna wait until later?"

"Please!" She requested softly.

"All right. If you get thirsty before then, just let your Mommy or me know."

"Okay." Melody said. "I'm sleepy!"

"I know. Try and get some sleep. When you wake up, your Mommy and Daddy will be in to see you."

Melody nodded as she closed her eyes against the pain.

Once Melody was asleep, Janie went to tell Ariel and Eric that Melody was stabilized enough for visitors.

She found the couple sitting in the waiting room. It looked like they were having a serious conversation, so Janie waited until they were done.

"Ariel and Eric Coralsen." She said as she approached them.

Ariel stood up at the sound of her name.

"How's Melody?" She asked worriedly.

Janie sighed.

"The good news is she's awake and responding to commands and she can express herself verbally without any prompting. However, there is something we need to talk about before you go and see her."

"What is it?" Ariel asked anxiously. "What's wrong with her?"

Eric put a comforting hand on his wife's trembling shoulder.

"Ariel, it's okay. I'm sure Janie will explain everything to us."

Janie nodded.

She took a seat across from the couple before starting to explain.

"Melody's suffering from post traumatic amnesia."

"What!" Ariel gasped. "No!"

"I'm really sorry." Janie said sincerely. "I don't' see any reason why her memory shouldn't' return in time. She just needs to be surrounded by familiar things and routines. Her bruises and burns will heal on their own. The next twenty-four to forty-eight hours will be the most critical." She explained. "As long as she doesn't have any severe headaches and she doesn't vomit more than a few times, she should be fine."

Ariel nodded. She was remembering her own ordeal with amnesia and it was starting to bring back horrible memories of her own.

"I told her who you two were as well as what her name is. She made a comment that she liked it and Melody was a pretty name. She was also able to follow visual directions very well too."

"Can we see her?" Ariel asked anxiously.

Janie nodded.

"Of course. You both are welcomed to stay with her until she is released on Monday or Tuesday. I should also warn you that she might grow attached to one of you more than the other. This is fairly common in amnesia patients. It's a way for them to feel safe and secure until they regain their memory."

"I know." Ariel told her. "I lost my memory once when I was a teenager. I was stuck to my second eldest sister, Andrina, like glue until I regained it."

Janie smiled.

"I have no doubt with both of you helping her, your daughter will recover in time. She wasn't hungry the last time I checked, but maybe she'll eat for one of you. We're not going to force the issue tonight. I would like her to try and drink something though."

"I'll see what I can do." Ariel told her. "Melody usually listens to me pretty well."

Janie nodded.

"You were the first person she asked for when she woke up."

Ariel's heart soared at this. Maybe they would get through this after all.

Once they had thanked Janie, they followed her to Melody's hospital room.

Ariel gasped when she saw her little girl.

Melody had an IV in her right hand and her right cheek was bandaged.

"I'm so sorry, my precious Melody." Ariel said softly. "Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Sebastian are gonna help you get better. I promise."

"Speaking of Sebastian," Eric said as he sat down next to Melody's bed, "where is he?"

"He went to tell Daddy what happened." Ariel answered. "He's fine. He'll be back."

Eric nodded.

Ariel sighed as she took Melody's hand in hers and held it gently.

"We're here, Mel." Ariel told her softly. "Mommy and Daddy are right here. We're not leaving you." With that, she started to sing. She just hoped it helped Melody to stay calm when she did awaken again.

Melody woke up a few hours later. She was still in the same room, but she realized upon opening her brown eyes that she wasn't alone.

A young woman with red hair and blue eyes was sitting on her left and a man with black hair and bluish grey eyes was sitting on her right.

She assumed they were her parents. She tried to remember what Janie had told her about them as she listened to the redheaded woman hum softly.

She didn't know why, but the sound made her feel less afraid.

As she gazed towards her, the young woman gave her a warm smile before speaking.

"Hey, Mel, you're awake." She said softly.

Melody nodded. She knew her name by now, so she assumed 'Mel was a nickname. She smiled a little upon hearing it. It too brought her a sense of comfort just like the young woman's singing had earlier.

"My head hurts!" Melody cried. She made eye contact with the young woman Janie told her was her mother as she said this.

"We know it does, sweetheart." The young woman with red hair said soothingly. "It's gonna hurt for a while. But you're gonna be okay. Daddy and I aren't going anywhere. Are you thirsty?"

The young man who was sitting on Melody's left, gave the young woman a cautious look.

"Ariel, don't push her just yet."

"I'm just asking. " The woman named Ariel replied. "Janie said she had to try and drink something."

"A little." Melody admitted.

"Okay." The woman named Ariel said. She brought a cup of apple juice to Melody's lips.

As Melody felt Ariel's hand on her shoulder to help her sit up, she relaxed instantly.

Ariel's touch was gentle and full of love. She just wished she could remember feeling it before.

"There you go, Mel. You don't have to drink it all." She assured her.

Melody took a few sips before turning her face away from the cup.

"Are you finished?" Ariel asked her. Her voice was gentle and soothing.

"Yes." Melody replied. It hurt her head if she nodded too much.

"Okay." With that, Ariel helped her to lay back down.

She resumed her spot beside her bed and started stroking her hair.

The second she felt Ariel's hand brush through her hair, Melody relaxed even more.

"Well at least that hasn't changed." Ariel said with a note of relief in her voice.

Eric nodded.

"I love you, Mel." Ariel whispered. "I know it's going to take you time before you can say it back and that's okay. But I just want you to remember that. Daddy and I both love you so much."

"Okay." Melody said as she closed her eyes once again.

Ariel sat on the edge of Melody's bed and continued to stroke her hair. She then started singing "Daring to Dance" in an effort to keep Melody calm.

Melody awoke again a little while later. She could feel Ariel's hand combing through her hair and hear her humming once again.

The calming motion, mixed with the sweet sound of her singing helped Melody's breathing steady as she opened her eyes.

"Hey, Mel." Ariel greeted her. "Daddy went to get us something to eat. Are you hungry, honey?"

"No." She admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Melody, look at me." Ariel said gently, but firmly.

Melody did so. She might not have remembered much, but she could detect seriousness in Ariel's tone, so she did her best to listen to her.

"You do NOT have to be sorry for anything, sweetie. I want you to know that. This wasn't your fault. Daddy and I aren't mad at you. I promise. We just want you to get better."

Melody's lower lip started to quiver as tears of fear made their way down her face.

"Aw, Mel. It's okay. It's okay…" Ariel soothed. She sat on the edge of the bed and put an arm around the little girl in an attempt to comfort her.

The minute Melody felt Ariel's arm around her, she turned as best she could and buried her face in her shoulder as the tears continued to fall.

"Shh, shh, that's my girl. That's my brave girl…" Ariel soothed as she started stroking Melody's hair.

"I'm scared!" Melody whimpered. "I wanna go home!"  
"I know you do, Melody. I know. You'll be able to go home in a couple of days. And after you do, you'll feel a lot better."

Melody cried into Ariel's shoulder for the next fifteen minutes. She didn't' know where the tears had come from, but they were coming fast.

Ariel never told her to stop crying or scolded her for getting upset. She simply comforted her and assured her she wasn't' going anywhere.

It took Melody a while, but she was able to calm down with Ariel's help.

"There you go. That's my girl." Ariel said as Melody's breathing went back to normal. "Do you feel better now?"

"No!" Melody said honestly. "I want to remember!"

"I know you do, baby. I know. And you will. It just might take time." Ariel gently reminded her.

Just then, Eric returned with two trays.

"Hey, sweetheart." Ariel greeted him. "You're back."

"Sorry it took me so long." He said. "The line in the cafeteria was a nightmare."

"it's okay." Ariel replied. She then got a look at what Eric had bought. "Aw, Mel, look what Daddy got. Do you wanna try some? It's really good! I'll even split it with you." She offered.

Melody wasn't very hungry, but she would try for Ariel.

After the food was passed around, Ariel took Melody's hand on her left and Eric's on her right and started to pray.

She thanked God for the food and asked Him to help Melody regain her memory.

Once Ariel was done the prayer, she helped Melody get herself situated before starting to eat her own meal.

Melody tried her best to eat, but it was hard.

She managed to eat almost half of the sandwich before her appetite left her again.

Putting the second half of the sandwich down, she gave Ariel an anxious look.

"Are you done, sweetheart?" Ariel asked.

"Yes." Melody replied. "I-I can't eat anymore."

"Okay, honey." Eric said. "It's okay. We'll save it for you until later." With that, he took her tray away and wrapped the rest of the sandwich up.

"Do you want me to read to you?" Ariel offered.

"No thanks. " Melody replied. "I'm tired!"

"All right. It's okay. Why don't you try and get some sleep. Would you like me to sing to you?"

"Yes, please?" She asked sleepily.

"Aw, what nice words. You got it, Mel." Ariel said before starting to sing "Part of Your World."

As she finished the song, Melody posed a question to her.

"You won't leave me, will you?"

"No. Of course not. Daddy and I are gonna stay right here." Ariel assured her.

Melody managed a small smile for her mother.

"Thanks." She said as she fell asleep.

"No thanks needed, darling." Ariel whispered. "We're going to help you get better." With that, she sat beside Melody's bed and watched her daughter sleep.

Ariel kept her word. She didn't leave Melody's side all night.

"I think we've discovered who Melody's attached herself too." Eric said with a loving smile.

Ariel frowned.

"I hope you're not upset."

"Not at all." The boy assured her. "I want Melody to get better as much as you do. And I have no doubt you'll help her get there."

Ariel sighed.

"I hope you're right." She said as she gazed down at Melody who was now fast asleep.

"You know I am." Eric said as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

Ariel returned the affection before going back to Melody's bedside.

Ariel was awakened from her half asleep state by Melody whimpering in her sleep. She was also thrashing a little bit.

Fearing she would pull her IV out, Ariel rushed to her daughter's side in an effort to calm her down.

"Melody? It's okay, honey. You're having a bad dream, sweetheart. That's all it is. It's okay. I'm right here. Mommy's right here. You're okay…" Ariel's voice trailed off as she started to sing "Part of Your World" again.

Melody's eyes opened a few minutes later. She tried to take a deep breath and found she felt really sick to her stomach.

As she tried to catch her breath, she heard her mother singing.

She was singing one of the songs she had sung earlier.

Melody didn't know why, but this song had a calming affect on her.

She tried to wait until her mother was done, but it was hard.

Finally, she couldn't wait any longer and spoke up. Her voice was full of pain and fear, but she managed to get her mother's attention all the same.

"Mom!" She cried desperately.

"Melody, shh," Ariel soothed. She had stopped singing by this point. "It's okay. I'm right here."

"I don't feel good!" Melody whimpered as she swallowed hard for the second time.

"Okay, Mel. It's all right. " With that, Ariel got a bucket that Janie had left earlier and placed it in front of her daughter. She helped her to face it as Melody's stomach seemed to go in reverse.

By the time she was done, she was in tears and she turned to her mother for the comfort she needed.

"I know, Mel. I know." Ariel assured her as she hugged her close. "You're gonna be okay. How do you feel now?"

"Tired!" She whimpered.

"Okay. It's okay. I know you want to sleep and that's all right, but I need to know one thing first."

"What?" Melody asked.

"Is your head hurting you at all?" Ariel asked.

"Yes!" Melody sobbed.

"Does it feel worse than it did this afternoon?" Ariel asked anxiously.

Melody looked confused.

Ariel realized her mistake and tried to make the question easier to answer.

"Okay. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst, what number is the pain at?"

Melody thought for a minute, which made the pain double.

"6!" She replied tearfully.

"Okay. If it goes above that, you need to let me know." Ariel told her.

Melody nodded as another sob escaped her lips.

"Sing, please!" She requested.

"Okay. It's all right…" With that, Ariel began to sing "Part of Your World" once again.

Melody was asleep in a matter of ten minutes. Her breathing had gone back to normal as well, which Ariel was grateful for…


	4. Chapter 4Safe and SoundFor Now

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: I'm sorry for the wait with this story. I hope this chapter makes up for it! The next one should be coming soon!

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 4

That's how Eric found his wife and daughter the next morning.

They were both asleep and Melody looked more relaxed if not content than Eric had seen her since she had woken up from the accident.

He smiled at the sight as he bent down and kissed Ariel on the cheek.

"How's she doing?" He asked as he watched Ariel open her eyes.

"As well as can be expected." She answered.

"And how are you doing?" Her husband inquired.

Ariel shook her head.

"It's just so surreal." She said as she hugged her daughter close. "I never thought that I'd be going through it with someone else."

She was about to say more when two things happened at once.

Melody started to stir and there was a crash at the window.

"Sorry, sweetie." Scuttle said as he rang his feathers out. "I didn't see the lamp post."

"Scuttle, not that I'm not grateful that you're here, but what happens if someone sees you?"

"Aw, don't worry about that. They don't' start shooting off the cannons until mid day."

"Cannons?" Ariel asked.

Eric filled in the blanks.

"Let's just say it's a kind of gun."

"You don't' need to continue " Ariel told him as she felt Melody trying to stretch out. "Sweetheart, no." She said gently.

"Mom?" Melody said as her eyes opened.

"It's okay. I'm right here." Ariel assured her.

"Aw, look at that!" Scuttle said happily.

"Scuttle!" Ariel hissed as she felt Melody cringe. "You have to be quiet."

"What? There's no one else here." He said.

Ariel shot Eric a look as she tried to calm Melody down.

"Scuttle, Melody can't take that much noise yet. " Eric explained.

"Oh sorry." He said. "I'll be quiet then."

"Let's see how long dat lasts." Sebastian quipped as he came in the door.

"Sebastian, you're back. " Ariel said as she tried to keep her voice down. "What did Daddy say?"

"He said he wants to see Melody as soon as she comes home."

"I guess that'll be all right." Ariel said as she began to hum once again.

Sebastian glanced up and glared at the sea gull.

"I tought dey didn't' allow you in here." He said.

"I didn't see any no birds allowed signs." Scuttle said logically.

"Dat's because you knocked one of dem over." Sebastian informed him.

"You guys, please." Ariel said with as much patience as she could muster. "If you're gonna fight, take it somewhere else."

"Yeah. " Eric chimed in. "You do enough of that in the palace as it is."

"Which one?" Scuttle asked.

Ariel rolled her eyes.

Fortunately, Janie chose that moment to walk in.

"Hide." Ariel commanded.

"All right, all right. " Sebastian grumbled. And before she could stop him, he jumped into her hair.

"Not there." Ariel hissed. But it was too late.

"So how's my favorite patient doing?" She asked kindly.

"Okay." Ariel said. She went onto explain what had happened last night.

"We need to keep an eye on that. " Janie said. "But unless it happens more than once, it shouldn't be a problem. Dr. Gallard wants to do another CT." She said. "Just to make sure everything checks out. You can come with her." She assured Ariel.

"Okay." With that, she laid Melody down and took her hand as Janie wheeled the bed towards radiology.

"You better hope dat's all dey get a picture of. " Sebastian whispered in her left ear.

"Shh!" Ariel hissed. "They'll hear you!"

Upon arriving in radiology, Janie explained that a doctor named Loretta was going to do the initial test.

She introduced Ariel and Melody to Loretta and left them in her care.

Loretta explained to Melody what was going to happen.

"Your Mommy can stay with you the whole time." She assured her.

Melody sighed with relief upon hearing this.

Loretta started the small procedure by putting a red die into Melody's IV.

She explained this would give them a clearer picture.

Melody squeezed Ariel's hand as she tried to ignore the pain. She just wanted to be back in her mother's arms and go to sleep.

"When you get home," Ariel told her trying to distract her, "your grandfather's coming to see you."

Melody nodded, which she soon regretted.

"Is he nice?" She asked.

"Oh yes." Ariel said. "He's very nice."

After the procedure was over, Loretta wheeled Melody back to her room.

"She should just rest for now." She said. "We'll keep making the lights brighter every few hours. We do this to monitor how much light she can take."

"I know. " Ariel said. "They did that with me when I lost my memory."

"Mom, I'm thirsty." Melody said.

"Okay, Mel. Let's see what we can do about that." With that, she left the room in search of something to drink. She told Melody she loved her and that she would be back.

Alone with his daughter for the first time since the accident, Eric found himself at a loss for words.

Melody's brown eyes darted to the door every so often. She hoped her mother would come back soon.

"Mommy will be back." Eric assured her. "Do you want me to read to you?"

"No thanks." Melody said.

Eric sighed.

Ariel chose that moment to return.

"Here we go. " She said. She put the straw in the cup of apple juice and helped Melody to sit up in order to drink it.

"Dat machine is gypped. " Sebastian said as he scurried out from Ariel's hair.

"What do you mean?" Eric asked.

"It ate Ariel's quarter."

"It's okay." Ariel said. "Janie gave me some."

She glanced down to see that Melody had almost drunken the whole thing.

"Wow! I guess you were thirsty." She commented as she took the almost empty cup from Melody's free hand and threw it in the trash.

"Yeah. I Guess so. " She said.

Melody slept off and on throughout most of the day. She ate a little for Ariel, but she wasn't really hungry.

Janie explained that it was normal and assured Ariel and Eric that Melody's appetite would return once she was back home.

Ariel knew this was true. She remembered when it had happened to her, she hadn't been hungry for the first few days after returning home.

It wasn't until the fourth day that she started feeling hungry again.

When Tuesday rolled around, Melody was more than ready to leave the hospital.

She was still really sore, but at least she wasn't getting sick anymore.

Once she was discharged, Ariel picked her up and they went to meet Eric in the front of the hospital.

The ride home was quiet if not peaceful.

Melody laid her head in Ariel's lap and tried to sleep.

It was hard with the carriage bumping every couple of minutes.

When they arrived back at the palace, Melody let Ariel carry her inside.

Setting her daughter down on the couch, she stood up to get her something to drink.

She was about to leave, when Melody put a death grip on her right hand.

"Melody, it's okay." Ariel soothed. "I'll be back. Are you thirsty?"

Melody shook her head.

This affectively set off another migraine, which resulted in the little girl bursting into tears.

"Shh, okay, Mel. It's okay. Would you feel better if I stayed?"

"Please!" She asked tearfully.

"Okay. It's all right. Come here." With that, she set the child in her lap and started humming "Part of Your World."

"Hey, I thought you were getting something to drink." Eric said as he came into the room.

"I never quite got that far." She admitted. "Would you mind…"

"No." He said. "What would my two favorite girls like?"

"Anyting strong. " Sebastian replied.

Ignoring him, Eric turned to Ariel.

"Tea'll be fine." She said.

"And how about you, kiddo?" He asked.

Melody let out a sob as the pain increased.

"Just get her some more apple cider. " Ariel suggested. "She'll drink it."

Eric nodded and left the room.

Ariel turned to Sebastian just then.

"And since when do you drink alcohol?"

"Since your daughter learned to talk." He replied.

"Sebastian." She said with a giggle.

"What? It's de truth."

"Too loud!" Melody whimpered against Ariel's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Ariel said sincerely. "I have an idea. Come on." With that, she picked Melody up and carried her outside to the balcony.

"There." Ariel said. "Is that better?"

Melody responded by snuggling deeper into Ariel's hold.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said as she planted a kiss on Melody's cheek.

Eric joined them a few minutes later.

He set the drinks upon a table and sat down across from his wife and daughter.

Ariel tried to get Melody to drink some, but her daughter wouldn't have any of it at the moment.

"What are you thinking about?" Eric asked.

Ariel sighed.

"I'm just thinking, where do we go from here?"

"We'll get through this." Eric promised. "Melody's strong, like you. She'll be fine."

Later that night, Ariel tucked Melody in her bed and stayed with her until she fell asleep.

She had a feeling it was going to be a long night, but she didn't mind. She would do anything to help her precious Melody through this.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Melody asked her mother.

Ariel shook her head.

"Of course not. Would you like me to stay?"

"Please?" Melody answered softly.

Ariel smiled down at her as she ruffled her brown hair.

"Could you sing that song you sung to me in the hospital?" She asked as she tried to get comfortable.

"Can you tell me which one it was?" Ariel asked. She wanted to see if Melody could remember the title of it.

Melody thought for a second. She prayed she had the right answer.

A part of her knew her mother wouldn't get mad at her, but another part was still really unsure of everything.

"Part of That World." Melody said finally.

"Aw, sure I will. " With that, Ariel took to stroking Melody's hair and began the song.

As she was on her third go around, she glanced down to see that Melody was fast asleep.

"Sweet dreams, Mel. " Ariel whispered. "I love you." With that, she sat there and kept watch over her daughter for the next few hours.

Eric brought her dinner and stayed for a little bit to keep her company. He was planning on working on the boat plans before retiring to bed for the night.

He had a feeling Ariel wouldn't be sleeping with him tonight and he was okay with that. He knew Melody needed her now.

Melody awoke a few hours later gasping for breath. She was shaking and tears were streaming down her face.

She let out a fearful scream before the tears really started coming.

Her scream affectively brought her mother into the room as well as woke Sebastian.

"What's going' on, girl?" Sebastian asked as he gazed at Melody and the way she was shaking.

"I'm not sure. " Ariel said as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She turned her attention to Melody.

"Melody, what happened, honey? Did you have a bad dream?"

Melody nodded, unable to talk due to how hard she was crying.

"It's all right, sweetheart." Ariel assured her as she reached her arms out to her frightened daughter. "You're safe now. Mommy's right here, so is Uncle Sebastian."

Sebastian glared at Ariel, but she ignored it.

Melody accepted her mother's comfort gratefully. She wasn't sure what had woken her. All she did know was it had been really scary at the time.

"Shh, it's okay, Mel. It's all right. You need to take a deep breath for me."

Melody tried her best and succeeded after the second time.

"Good girl. That's my girl. All right, let's see if we can get you back to sleep. Is your head hurting at all?"

"Yes!" She whimpered against her mother's shoulder.

"Okay. Shh, you're okay now. Are you feeling sick?"

"No!" Melody answered. "I just hurt! Mom, please, make it stop!"

"I'm gonna try my best, sweetie." Ariel assured her. "Shh…" With that, she started to sing again.

It seemed to be the only thing that kept Melody calm.

It took Ariel a good hour, but she was finally able to calm Melody down to a point where she was able to fall asleep.

"Do you think she' gonna be okay?" Sebastian asked in concern.

"I don't know, Sebastian. I remember when it happened to me and…" Her voice trailed off as she fought hard not to break down. She couldn't afford to fall apart right now. Melody needed her to be strong.

Ariel finally fell into a restless sleep of her own sometime later.

She ended up holding Melody all night. She wanted her to know she was safe…


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: I've decided to give everyone an extra chapter since you waited so long for the last one. I hope everyone likes it!

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 5

The next morning, Ariel awoke to find sun streaming into Melody's bedroom windows.

It took her a minute to realize where she was.

As the events of the last day came back to her, she glanced down at Melody and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I know you're scared right now." She said softly. "But I promise, Daddy and I are going to help you through this. You're going to be fine."

Melody stirred a few minutes later.

Her brown eyes opened a minute later. She relaxed the minute she heard her mother humming softly.

"Hey Mel." Ariel greeted her warmly. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Melody said truthfully.

"All right. " Ariel said. "That's okay. We're gonna take things nice and slow. " She told her. "Let's get you ready and then we'll go downstairs for breakfast. How does that sound?"

Melody shrugged. She managed a small smile for her mother, but she really wasn't hungry.

After Ariel helped Melody pick out an outfit, she led her downstairs for breakfast.

She got her some juice and made sure she was going to be okay while she made her something to eat.

Melody tried her best to keep her attention on everything around her, but it was hard.

She drank the juice Ariel had given her, but she wasn't ready to eat anything just yet. Even so, she would try for Ariel.

As Ariel finished preparing the oatmeal for the both of them, she turned around to check on Melody.

The sight that met her eyes broke her heart. Her precious Melody looked more scared than Ariel had ever seen her before.

Not to mention she had her eyes squeezed shut and her head down as though she was in pain.

Ariel couldn't in good conscious make her eat when she felt so bad.

Turning off the stove, Ariel set the finished oatmeal in a bowl and put it away for later.

As she closed the fridge, she heard Melody suck in a breath.

"Melody?" She said softly as she reached her side. "Come on, honey. I'm gonna take you back upstairs so you can rest."

"Mom, it hurts!" Melody whimpered as Ariel picked her up and carried her out of the room.

"I know you do, sweetheart. I know. I'll bring you something to eat in a little while." With that, she tucked her in bed and stayed with her until she fell back to sleep.

Ariel sent a silent prayer up to God as she watched Melody sleep fitfully. She knew the only way they were going to get through this was with His help.

Eric poked his head in the room a minute later.

"Hey." He said softly. "Did she eat?"

Ariel shook her head.

"I'm gonna try her on some soup later. She wasn't in the mood."

Eric nodded.

"Grim told me that your father and sisters are arriving this afternoon for a visit."

"What time?" She asked as she brushed a comforting hand through Melody's hair.

"Two o' clock " Eric replied.

Ariel sighed.

"Good. That'll give me time to prepare Melody for this. I have a feeling it's not going to go over well with her."

"If we're there, I'm sure she'll be all right. " Eric assured her.

Ariel shook her head.

"I'm not so sure. If you would have seen her when we were in the kitchen, you might not think so. She was terrified. She was also in a lot of pain. I closed the fringe and she almost burst into tears."

Eric sighed.

"We'll get her through this." He comforted. "I promise."

"I know. " Ariel said. "I love her so much. It's breaking my heart to see our Melody like this."

She was about to say something else, when Melody started to thrash a little in her sleep.

"Shh, it's okay, Mel. Mommy's right here." She said softly. "It's okay…" She started singing "I Remember Music" hoping it would help Melody get back to sleep.

It worked after a few minutes to both Ariel and Eric's relief.

Melody felt someone gently nudging her shoulder a few hours later. She also heard the same person calling her name softly.

"Melody? Mel, come on, sweetheart. It's time to wake up."

Melody opened her eyes and was met by the gentle blue ones of her mother.

"Mom? Wha-what's going on?" Melody asked tiredly.

"It's okay." Ariel assured her. "We need to get ready." She explained. "Your grandfather and aunts are coming for a visit."

Melody sighed. She really wasn't in the mood for visitors, but she also knew she couldn't be rude.

Her grandfather sounded like a nice person and her mother had said her aunts loved her a lot.

Sitting up slowly, Melody allowed Ariel to help her get ready and led her back downstairs.

Once they got there, Ariel sat on the couch and Melody sat next to her.

She laid her head in Ariel's lap and felt her mother start to stroke her hair.

As she watched Melody close her eyes, Ariel started having second thoughts about the visit. She could tell Melody wasn't up for visitors at the moment.

She could only pray her father and sisters didn't stay very long. She had told her father that Melody needed lots of rest and Triton seemed to understand.

Ariel started singing "Daring to Dance" and was rewarded by Melody giving her a tiny smile.

She was in the middle of "Part of That World" when Grim came into the room.

He cleared his throat before addressing Ariel.

"Princess Ariel, may I present King Triton of Atlantica and family." With that, he bowed and left the room.

Once he was gone, Triton and Ariel's five sisters entered the room.

Aquata was planning on coming later on in the week. She had to take Cadence to a dentist appointment that afternoon.

Ariel greeted her father warmly before welcoming her five older sisters.

It was only when Andrina sat down, did Ariel realize she had brought Azara with her.

"She had off school." Andrina explained when she caught Ariel's questioning look. "She wanted to be here for Melody."

Ariel smiled at her niece despite the awkward situation. Azara was a real sweetheart.

"Well, now dat we're all here…" Sebastian said as his voice trailed off. He gazed Ariel as though silently asking her to take the lead.

"We brought Melody something. " Andrina told her sister. "Azara picked it out. " She smiled down at her daughter.

Azara nodded.

"Zara, honey, do you want to give it to her?"

Azara looked unsure, but took the package laying at her side.

"It's okay, Zara." Ariel assured her. "Go ahead."

Azara stood up and walked cautiously over to where Aril and Melody were.

When Sebastian saw the sharp end of the package, he ducked for Ariel's hair.

'go de oder way." He said. "Don't bring dat ting near me."

Azara ignored him for the time being.

Making her way over to where Ariel was sitting, she stood there awkwardly.

Holding her hand out towards her cousin, Azara extended the package to her.

"I hope you like it." She said.

Ariel exchanged a look with Andrina. She had never seen Azara nervous around Melody before. Not even upon first meeting her seven years ago.

"Melody, look. " Ariel said, trying to get her daughter involved. "Do you want me to help you open it?"

Melody just shrugged as she tried to find a comfortable spot in Ariel's lap.

Azara frowned.

Sensing her apprehension, Ariel got an idea.

"Zara, I got something new for the treasure room. Why don't you go check it out?"

Azara nodded.

She was about to leave, when Ariel pulled her back.

"It's gonna be okay." She whispered. "She still loves you. And as for me, I'm happy to see you." With that, she kissed her cheek and sent her on her way.

Once the twelve-year-old was out of earshot, Ariel shot Andrina a questioning look.

"Are you sure bringing Azara was the best idea?"

I tried to get her to stay home. " Andrina told her sister. "But she wanted to come . She wanted to be here for Melody. And besides, she had off school."

Ariel nodded.

"Azara's so sweet." She said.

"She is that." Andrina agreed.

"What did you guys get Mel, anyway?" Ariel asked as her curiosity peeked.

Andrina winked.

"You'll just have to wait and see when she opens it." Andrina told her.

Just then, Arista got up from her place on the sofa.

"Hey, sweetie." Arista said as she knelt down beside the couch. "I'll bet Azara and Aunt Andrina got you something really cool."

Melody barely acknowledged Arista's words say for to try and bury her face in Ariel's shoulder in an attempt to bloc out the noise.

Ariel sighed.

"Arista, I'm sorry." She said. "Melody's not trying to…she wouldn't ignore you normally." She said.

"I know. " Arista assured her. "I don't blame her."

Ariel turned to her sisters as she stood up with Melody in her arms.

"I'm gonna take Melody upstairs to rest." She said. "I'll be right back down." With that, she left the room.

Upon arriving upstairs, Ariel tucked Melody in bed and stayed with her for a few minutes.

"Is she mad at me?" Melody asked.

It took Ariel a minute to realize what she had said.

"Who? Aunt Arista? No, of course not. Mel, she loves you. She just wants you to get better. That's all. Nobody's mad at you. Just try and get some rest."

"No." Melody said. "Not her."

"Then who are you talking…oh. You mean Azara?"

"Uh-huh. She seemed really sad downstairs. Did I hurt her?"

"No. She just….well….you two are really close." Ariel tried to explain.

"Not anymore."

"Melody, you will be again. I promise. I love you. If you need anything, Sebastian will get me."

"I will?" Sebastian asked as he jumped out of her red locks.

"Sebastian, please?"

"Oh all right."

"Thank you. " With that, Ariel kissed melody on the cheek and left the room.

Returning back downstairs, Ariel entered the living room and sank back down into the couch.

Heaving a sigh, she closed her eyes as if in prayer.

She didn't notice when someone joined her. The first indication was when she heard her father's voice nearby.

"Are you all right?"

Ariel opened her eyes and glanced up to meet her father's concerned gaze.

"I'm okay." She said honestly. "I mean I never thought that I would be going through the same thing you went through when it happened to me. I mean I know Melody's not having as many problems as I had, but….I want to help her, but I know I can't make this better."

"It's not easy, but it gets better. " Triton assured her.

"When?" Ariel asked.

Triton shook his head as he pulled his youngest in for a hug.

Ariel had forgotten what it felt like to be in her father's arms.

She let him hold her, relishing in the comfort it brought her.

After they pulled away, Ariel wiped her eyes and tried to pull herself together.

"Where's Eric at?" Triton asked.

Just then, Eric joined them.

"I'm right here." He said. "It's nice to see you again, You're Majesty."

"Same here." Triton said

"Would you like something to drink?" He offered.

"Do you have any wine?" Triton asked.

Eric raised his eyebrows.

"Don't worry." Ariel said. "I'm the only non alcoholic tolerant in the family."

Eric nodded. He went over to his wife and whispered in her are.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?" Ariel asked.

"In the kitchen." He said.

"Okay." With that, she followed er husband into the dining area.

"Since when does your father drink?"

"Daddy's had wine occasionally." Ariel said.

"They have wine in Atlantica?"

"Yeah." Ariel answered. "Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know. " Eric said as he poured the last of the red wine into a goblet. "Do you want anything?"

"If I could tolerate it, I'd go for a strawberry dakery."

Eric raised his eyebrows at her.

"You must be really stressed out to say something like that."

He set the glass down and took his wife into his arms.

"I'm not stressed exactly." She admitted. "More like worried."

Eric nodded. He put a hand through her hair before drawing her in for a kiss.

"Eric." Ariel said as she pulled away slightly.

"What?" He asked innocently. "Can't I help my wife feel better?"

"Yes. And I appreciate it, but my father's here."

"He's in the other room." He said, pulling her back to him. "Besides, I missed you last night."

"I missed you too." Ariel said as she felt his lips brush against hers. 'But this isn't the right…"  
"Aunt Ariel?" Azara said as she came into the room. "I'm…okay. Am I interrupting something?"

"No." Ariel said as she pulled out of her husband's embrace. "What did you need?"

"Um, nothing. Never mind."

"Zara?" Ariel said as she stepped away from Eric. "What is it?"

"I was getting kind of thirsty." She admitted.

"Okay. We can fix that."

As she was filling a cup with apple juice, she whispered something in Eric's ear.

"We'll finish this tonight. After Melody's asleep."

Eric nodded. He flashed her a smile before leaving to deliver the wine to the King.

"And I think Grandpa's getting restless." Azara surmised as she too ka sip of juice.

"What makes you say that?" Ariel asked.

"He almost fired his trident at the cook."

"What!" Ariel exclaimed.

Azara shrugged.

"I dunno." Azara said as she popped a cookie into her mouth.

Ariel ran into the living room to find Eric engaged in heated words with the cook.

"Are you sure you weren't seeing things?" He asked.

"Wee, Prince Eric." He said. "I know what I saw. And and it was lightening coming out of zat giant fork."

"You know what?" Eric said in an attempt to save off disaster. "Why don't you take a couple days off? Take Carlotta on that cruise."

After some convincing, Louie went upstairs to pack.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" A riel asked her husband.

"Trust me. " Eric said. "besides, you make the best seaweed pasta casserole in the kingdom. I think we'll survive."

"I love you too." Ariel said just as Triton came back into the room…


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I hope everyone likes it! This story is soon coming to an end.

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 6

Melody sat up in bed with a start later that night. She wasn't sure what had woken her, but something told her it had been another dream.

'At least it wasn't a nightmare this time.' She thought as she tried to get comfortable once again.

As she laid back down, she started seeing flashes of the dream she had just had.

She saw herself in a room full of all kinds of beautiful things. Some were knick knacks while others were simply every day things.

She didn't know why, but she felt the need to find this room. Maybe if she did…just maybe, she would start to remember again.

Trying not to make any noise, the ten-year-old got out of bed and made her way through the darkened palace. She had a feeling the room she was looking for was either on the first floor or the third.

She tried the first floor first, since she knew her way around that part of the palace better.

Getting downstairs, Melody made her way throughout the semi familiar rooms in search of the room she had seen in her dream.

She was about to go upstairs to search the third floor, when she noticed a hallway she had forgotten. It wasn't very long, but it looked promising nonetheless.

Taking a deep breath and sending a silent Prayer up to God, Melody started down the mysterious hallway.

Halfway down it, the little girl saw a door that was ajar.

Taking a leap of faith, Melody reached out and touched the knob.

To her surprise, the door opened at her touch.

Pushing the door opened all the way with as little noise as possible, Melody stepped inside.

The minute she did, she was overcome with flashes to her dream.

Forcing her eyes open again, she gazed around the room in wonder.

Shelves upon shelves were covered with things of all shapes and sizes.

As Melody glanced around, her brown eyes landed on something in particular.

A pink music box with a ballerina atop it was sitting on the second shelf near the far left.

Not taking her eyes off it, the little girl moved closer until she was close enough to touch it.

Reaching out her hand cautiously, Melody picked the music box up and held it close. She was careful to handle it with both hands as she carried it over to a corner. She sat down with the treasure in her hand.

She examined it more closely and discovered it had a key of some kind in the back.

Taking a chance, Melody turned the key until a soft and beautiful melody filled the room.

Melody smiled as the music washed over her. It felt as though it surrounded her, protecting her from her fears and doubts.

Melody was about to turn it again, but she stopped. What if it woke her parents up?

Hesitating slightly, Melody was about to set the music box down, when a familiar voice met her ears.

"That whirlamajigger was always your favorite."

Melody whirled around, the music box still in her hands to find her mother standing in the doorway.

Frowning, Melody gave her mother an anxious look.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean…I had this dream and I saw…I just wanted to find…I'm sorry for touching the music box. Please don't be mad."

Ariel's heart broke. She wanted more than anything to take her little girl into her arms and assure her everything was going to be okay, but she knew that wasn't' the best thing to do at the moment.

"Melody, it's okay." Ariel said softly. "I'm not mad at you at all. And neither is Daddy. We just want you to get better. We love you so much. And you're allowed to touch anything you want in here. You just need to be careful." She smiled at the way Melody was holding the whirlamajigger. "And it looks like you have that part down already."

Melody relaxed when she realized her mother wasn't angry at her.

Ariel walked further into the room and over to another shelf. She picked up another treasure and came over to sit across from her daughter.

"I want to show you something, Mel." She said as she sat down.

Melody nodded. She moved cautiously towards her mother and stopped a few feet in front of her. She sat down, still clutching the whirlamajigger protectively.

"What is it?" Melody asked curiously.

"It's a statue of the horse I won in a race I competed in a few years before you were born." She explained.

Melody nodded.

"What was his name?"

"Stormy." Ariel replied. 'I named him after a horse I helped back in Atlantica. You used to love listening to me tell that story. You would ask to hear it again when I was done telling you once."

"I liked it that much?" Melody asked.

Ariel smiled at her lovingly.

"Yes you did. Would you like me to tell you the story now?"

"Please?" Melody asked.

Ariel grinned. She then took the plunge.

"Do you want to sit next to me? She asked.

Melody thought for a minute before taking a plunge of her own.

"Could I sit in your lap, please? I feel safe there."

"Of course you can." Ariel replied. With that, she took her daughter into her arms and began to tell her the story.

Once she was done, Ariel glanced down to find Melody was fast asleep.

Gazing around, Ariel spotted a blanket hanging on a chair and draped it around the sleeping child.

"I love you, my precious Melody. Sweet dreams, honey. You're gonna be okay." With that, Ariel planted a kiss on Melody's cheek and stroked her hair before closing her own eyes and trying to get some more rest.

Tonight was definitely a breakthrough, but Ariel knew they still had a long way to go before Melody regained her memory. But at least they had made some progress. And that was all that mattered at the moment…

Eric grinned when he found Ariel and Melody asleep in Ariel's treasure room. He had a feeling Melody would find her way there eventually.

Ariel's eyes opened a few minutes later. She smiled when she saw Eric standing there.

"Morning." She whispered in an effort not to wake Melody up.

"Morning." Eric replied. "So I see you two camped out in here last night."

Ariel nodded.

"Yup. Mel found her way in here and I found her holding the whirlamajigger I found right before I met Gabriella and Ollie. I told her the story of Stormy and she ended up falling asleep in my arms."

Eric nodded.

"Well it sounds like you two had a good night."

Ariel giggled softly. She bent down and gave Melody a kiss on her cheek.

"I love her so much." She said. "I just want her to be okay again. It's breaking my heart to see our Melody like this."

"I know." Eric assured her. "I feel the same way. But she's gonna be fine. We'll make sure of that."

Ariel nodded.

It didn't take long for Melody to awaken. She awoke with a start.

"Hey, hey," Ariel soothed as she saw Melody's brown eyes darting around a little, "you're okay, Mel. Mommy has you. You're still with me."

Melody nodded as her breathing slowed down a little bit.

"Are you hungry, Mel?" Ariel asked once her daughter had calmed down.

Melody nodded.

"A little bit." She replied.

"Okay. Let's get you ready for the day and then I'll make you something to eat. How would you like to go visit Aunt Aquata for a little while? Cadence would love to see you."

Melody thought for a moment before shrugging.

"Okay." She said.

Ariel grinned.

After they both had gotten ready, Ariel made them both some strawberry pancakes and Melody ate all she could. She was eating more and more every day, which made Ariel sigh with relief.

After mother and daughter were finished getting ready, Ariel called Aquata to see if it was okay to come over.

"Sure!" Aquata said the minute Ariel suggested it. "I'd love to see you guys. Antonio is working, so it's just Cadence and me here."

"Okay. We'll be over in a little bit." With that, Ariel hung up the phone and went to do Melody's hair.

They arrived at Aquata's an hour later.

Melody looked around nervously at the unfamiliar surroundings, but Ariel assured her it was okay.

The minute they walked into the house, Aquata greeted them with a hug and kiss. She was slow around Melody, but she still wanted her niece to know she loved her.

"Hey Melody." She said warmly. "I made your favorite cookies and strawberry milk. Do you want some? I think Cadence is ready for a snack too."

Melody nodded, even though she wasn't feeling really hungry.

Aquata lead the way into the kitchen and the four of them sat down for a snack.

Cadence practically flew into Ariel's arms the minute she saw her. Ariel was her favorite aunt and the one she saw the most.

"Aunt Ariel! Aunt Ariel!" She squealed happily. "Guess what!"

"What?" Ariel asked as she hugged her niece and kissed her cheek.

"I got a blue ribbon in my gymnastics competition last weekend!"

"That's great!" Ariel exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you. I'll bet Aunt Adella will be too when you tell her."

Cadence nodded. She knew her Aunt Adella was big on sports.

The visit went smoothly enough and Melody seemed to be doing all right.

As Ariel and Aquata sat down in the living room for a little sisterly chat, Cadence came into the room with a worried look on her face.

"Aunt Ariel?" She said tentatively.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Her aunt replied.

"Melody fell asleep in my bed."

"Okay." Ariel said. "Thanks." She stood up and followed Cadence back to her room.

Once there, she picked Melody up and held her close. She gave Cadence a one armed hug and left her to do some art project.

Aquata frowned in worry when she saw Melody asleep in Ariel's arms.

"Is she okay?" She asked.

"She will be once we get home." Ariel replied. "It's just been really hard for her over the last few weeks."

Aquata nodded.

"I understand. I know how it was when…" Her voice trailed off at the memory.

Ariel nodded in agreement. She said good-bye to Aquata and told her she would call her later. With that, she left to head back to the palace.

Getting back home, Ariel tucked Melody in bed and stayed with her for a few minutes before she went to see what Eric was up to.

"Sweet dreams, Mel." Ariel whispered. "I love you."

Walking downstairs, she found Eric in the lounge. He was drinking a cup of tea and going over some boat plans.

Ariel sat beside him and started massaging his shoulders.

He smiled at the familiar touch.

"Hey." He said as he gazed up from what he was writing. "How did the visit go?"

"Pretty well." Ariel replied. "Melody fell asleep in Cadence's bed halfway through it, but everything was fine otherwise."

Eric nodded.

"It's just going to take time." He told her.

"I know." Ariel replied. "I know." With that, she laid her head against her husband's chest as Eric wrapped a loving arm around her.

Melody awoke a few hours later to the sound of her mother humming. She could feel her stroking her hair, which made her relax almost immediately.

"Hey, Mel." Ariel greeted. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Melody nodded.

"I'm still tired." She told her mother.

"That's okay." Ariel assured her. "You can sleep a little bit more if you need to. Are you hungry for dinner?"

"No." Melody replied. "I'm just tired."

"Okay. It's okay. Listen, I'm gonna go downstairs and eat. I'll be back to check on you in a little while. Sebastian's gonna stay with you."

"Okay." Melody mumbled, already half asleep. "I love you, Mommy."

"Aw, I love you too, Mel." Ariel replied. She bent down and kissed her cheek while putting a hand through her chestnut brown hair…


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: Here is the next chapter! I hope everyone likes it!

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 7

Somewhere around midnight, Melody woke up feeling a little queasy. She laid still, hoping the feeling would go away.

But to her dismay, it didn't go away. If anything, it grew stronger.

Fighting back tears, Melody got out of bed and ran for the bathroom.

She made it just in time.

After her stomach had calmed down, she sat there, trying to catch her breath.

It was then that she remembered something. It wasn't anything big, but it was something nonetheless.

Standing up carefully, Melody made her way to her parents' bedroom.

Thanking God for the moonlight to see by, Melody went to the right side of the bed and tried to wake her mother up.

"Mom?" She whispered in an attempt not to wake her father. "Mom?"

Ariel woke up a minute or so later. She was a light sleeper, but she was extra alert ever since Melody's accident.

"Mel?" She said when she realized who was standing next to her bed. "Sweetheart, what is it? Are you okay?"  
Melody shook her head, which made it pound.

"No"! She whimpered as more pain came.

"What's wrong, honey?" Ariel asked as she took her daughter into her arms.

She hugged her close before carrying her out of the room and back to her own.

Melody was in tears by now, the pain and emotional frustration getting the better of her.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Mel. It's all right. I have you now. Mommy's right here. What's the matter, sweetie? I need to know. I won't be mad at you, I promise."

"I…I…" Melody started as she tried to catch her breath and stop crying at the same time.

"That's my girl." Ariel soothed. "It's okay. Just tell me. You never have to be afraid to tell me anything." She reassured her.

"I woke up and I felt sick and then I…I threw up!"

"Okay, all right. Is your head hurting?" Ariel asked as she hugged her daughter close.

"A little." Melody admitted.

Ariel nodded.

"Okay. I'm gonna give you some medicine and see if that helps you feel better. Did you make it to the bathroom? I won't be mad at you if you didn't."

"Yes." Melody replied.

"Okay." Ariel replied. "Come on. " With that, she carried her daughter downstairs and into the kitchen.

After spooning some of the pink liquid into a spoon, Ariel gave it to the little girl.

Once Melody had swallowed it and Ariel was sure it was going to stay down, she gave her some water before taking her back upstairs to bed.

As she tucked her back in, she said, "Mel, I'm very proud of you."

"For what?" Melody asked. She was thoroughly confused now.

"For coming to me and telling me what happened. I know it must have taken a lot of courage for you to do that."

"Uh-huh." Melody mumbled as she drifted off to sleep in the safest place she knew-her mother's arms.

Ariel sat there for the rest of the night, holding Melody and praying she would be okay. She prayed this wasn't another setback. She remembered how many problems she had gone through when she had lost her memory. She only Prayed Melody wasn't experiencing the same ones…

Two weeks later, Aquata called and invited Ariel and Melody to a party she and Antonio were throwing for Cadence and her gymnastics team.

Ariel asked Melody if she wanted to go and the child agreed. She was getting used to visiting Aquata and she liked hanging out with Cadence.

On the day of the party, Sebastian said he wanted to join them at the last minute.

Ariel didn't think Aquata would mind and told Sebastian he could come with them.

When they got there, Ariel tried to get Melody interested in some of the activities Aquata had set up for the kids to do, but the ten-year-old wasn't in the mood.

She basically stayed close to Ariel and ate some snacks Aquata offered her. She wasn't in the mood to play with anyone and Ariel completely understood. She was proud of Melody for the effort she was making.

A little while later, Ariel was getting something to drink in the kitchen when Cadence came into the room. She looked worried about something.

"Aunt Ariel?" She said as she approached her side.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Ariel said as she put the cap back on the bottle of fruit punch.

"I can't find Melody." She reported. "I asked her if she wanted to watch a movie with us and she said yes. She followed me into the living room, but when I turned around to ask her what movie she wanted to watch, she was gone."

Ariel frowned.

"Okay, sweetheart. Thanks for telling me. I'll find her. You go and enjoy your party."

Cadence nodded. She volunteered to help look for her cousin, but Ariel assured her she had it under control.

Setting her cup down, Ariel left the kitchen in search of her daughter.

It didn't take her long to find her. She found her in Cadence's room, huddled in a corner.

Ariel's hart broke at the sight. She now knew that bringing Melody to Cadence's party was not the best idea. She had had some initial doubts at first, but she had convinced herself that it would be good for both of them to get out of the palace for a little bit.

As she stood in the doorway, Ariel could see her daughter was shaking. Whether it was from fear or not feeling good, Ariel wasn't sure.

Kneeling down to her level, Ariel spoke before touching her. She didn't want to scare her.

"Melody?" She said softly. "Sweetheart, what are you doing in here?"  
Melody gazed up at the sound of her mother's voice just as a sob escaped her lips. She turned pleading brown eyes upon her as she said, "Please, leave me alone! I came in here because I wanted to be alone."

Ariel's heart broke right there. She knew exactly how Melody was feeling.

"Sweetheart, I can't do that. I love you too much. Besides, I know what you're going through."

"No you don't!" Melody shouted, surprising both of them. She coughed a little as she let out another sob. "You've never lost your memory before!"

"Yes, I have." Ariel said.

This got Melody to look at her for the second time since she had found her.

"You did?" She asked.

Ariel nodded.

"Yup."

"What happened?" Melody asked as she sniffed back some tears.

Ariel was relieved she had gotten her daughter's attention.

"I'll tell you, but you have to promise me something." Ariel said just as Melody swallowed hard.

"What?" Melody asked.

As she heard her swallow again, Ariel switched subjects for a minute.

"Mel, are you feeling sick to your stomach?"

"A little." She admitted. "I was trying to ignore it."

"Sweetheart, you can't ignore something like that. And you can't fight it back either. It will only make it worse in the long run." With that, she went to pick Melody up, but her daughter shied away.

"Please," Melody pleaded softly. "Don't."

Ariel was taken aback. Melody had never refused her help before.

"Okay." She finally consented. "I wont' touch you if you don't want me to for now. And we won't leave this room until you're ready. But you need to let me help you." With that, she left the room and returned with an empty bowl.

Kneeling back down in front of the distressed ten-year-old, Ariel held it at the ready.

Melody glanced up when she heard her mother return.

"So what happened?" She asked as she tried to ignore the nausea she had been feeling all day.

"Well, I lost my memory saving Sebastian's life. I woke up in the hospital a little while later and I didn't' remember anyone or anything. I was so scared. But Daddy and Andrina and Aquata helped me through it. They helped me, just like Daddy and I are helping you now. We all love you so much, Mel. I know what you're going through. I just want to help you."  
"I know." Melody assured her. "It's just that I want to…" Her voice trailed off as she felt her stomach lurch unexpectedly.

Ariel made a split second decision and put an arm around the little girl to help steady her while holding the bowl with her other hand. She knew this was probably killing her daughter, but she had to do it.

"It's okay." She soothed. "It's all right. You need to let it come. You can't fight it back."

Melody merely whimpered before starting to heave.

Once her stomach had calmed down, she was in tears and just wanted to sleep.

Ariel set the bowl aside and took her sobbing daughter into her arms.

Melody accepted her mother's comfort and even snuggled in for a cuddle.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Mel. It's all right. You're gonna feel better soon. I have you now." With that, Ariel started to sing in an effort to calm Melody down if not help her fall asleep.

After a few minutes of singing, Ariel stopped and spoke.

"I'm sorry, Mel. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have brought you to the party. That was my fault."

"You didn't' know!" Melody whimpered as she tried to ignore the pain.

"Still." Ariel said. "I'm gonna take you back home and you can rest. Would you like that?"  
Melody nodded as another whimper escaped her lips.

Just then, Sebastian joined them. He looked relieved upon seeing Melody in Ariel's arms.

"You found her." He said. "Is she all right?"

Ariel shook her head.

"No. But she will be. I'm gonna take her home so she can rest. She's really not feeling good. I should have never brought her here."

"I could have told you dat." The crab said, receiving a glare from his best friend.

After making sure Melody's stomach was okay for the time being, Ariel stood up and went to find Aquata.

She explained to her sister what was going on and Aquata told her it was fine. She gave Melody a kiss and told her she hoped she felt better.

After Ariel told Cadence she loved her and she could spend the night again when Melody felt better, Ariel left for home..

A few days later, Melody was in the treasure room, trying to remember something-anything. She was really frustrated at the fact that it had been almost a month since she had lost her memory and she still couldn't remember anything.

She turned the key on the whirlamajigger in her hand, hoping it would give her a clue of some kind. She loved the music and it always seemed to calm her these days.

Just then, Ariel joined her. She gave her a smile and ruffled her hair before sitting down across from her.

"Hey Mel!" She greeted warmly. "What's up?"

Melody shook her head as she let out a sigh. She absentmindedly wound up the whirlamajigger again.

"Nothing." She replied.

"Do you want me to tell you the story of how I found the whirlamajigger?" Ariel offered.

""No thanks." Melody replied.

"Okay. Well, do you want to go out on the balcony for a little bit? Or we could go down to the harbor or even down to the beach. Or maybe we could-"

"Do you know what I want right now?" Melody asked. Her brown eyes were flashing with pent up frustration and she was fighting back tears.

"What?" Ariel asked. SHE could tell Melody was upset and she wanted to help her feel better. She was also interested to hear what she was going to say.

Melody set the whirlamajigger aside before getting to her feet. Her hands were planted on her hips as she tried to fight back tears.

"I want to remember. I just want to remember again! You know what I want even more than that?" She was on a roll now and she wasn't going to stop any time soon.

Just then, Sebastian joined them. He had heard Melody's shout all the way in the music room.

He took in the scene in front of him and made a mad dash for Ariel's hair.

"I want to be left alone! Is that too much to ask? I just want to be left alone!" With that, she ran out of the room, leaving her mother and Sebastian behind…


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.  
Enjoy!  
God loves you

A/N: Here it is! The last chapter! I hope everyone likes it! I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 8

Ariel wanted so badly to go after her and fix this, but a part of her knew she couldn't.

Heaving a sigh, she turned to Sebastian.

"She ran from me. She never did that before. This isn't normal for her."

"Where have you been girl? Noting about dis situation is normal. Just give Melody some time. She'll come back when she's ready. Besides, she knows her way around dis palace. She can't get hurt."

"I just hope you're right." Ariel said as she sat down on the couch.

Meanwhile, Melody was running as fast as her legs would carry her. TO where, she didn't know. All she knew was that she wanted to find a place where she could be alone for a while. She needed to sort some things out on her own.

Stopping to catch her breath, she found herself in a room that looked vaguely familiar.

It was large in size, but still felt comfortable and inviting.

A desk stood in the corner piled high with papers.

As Melody gazed around the room, she noticed shelves piled high with what looked to be model ships.

As her eyes scanned the room, she tried to find a place to hide.

She spotted a dark corner of the room and ran for it.

Sitting against the wall, she tried to make herself as small as possible.

As she sat there, she prayed she wouldn't be discovered.

The sound of a door opening made her start to shake.

Eric walked in his study, all intentions of working on a latest model ship.

As he heard the quiet sobs, he put his work on hold.

Kneeling down so he wouldn't scare her, he spoke.

"You know Mommy's really worried about you."

Melody glanced up and gave him a fearful look.

"Ya-you're not gonna tell her I'm here, are you?" She asked.

Eric shook his head.

"It'll be our secret." He said with a fond smile.

Melody whispered a soft thank you before going silent again.

It was then that Eric got an idea.

"Do you remember anything about this room, honey?" He asked.

Melody glanced around once again before nodding her head slowly.

"A little." She said. "But I can't explain it!"

"That's okay." He assured her. "We used to spend a lot of time in here, you and me. You actually hid in here a couple times when you were in trouble back when you were younger. You hid in here on the first day of first grade. You didn't' want to go because Mommy wouldn't be there."

"I did?"

Eric nodded.

"I have something I want to show you." He said. With that, he got up and went over to a shelf where a few unfinished model ships sat.

Taking the only finished one off its stand, he brought it back to her.

"See this?" He said.

She nodded.

"It's beautiful." She said.

"It used to be your favorite." He told her. "In fact, this ship helped you get over your fear of thunderstorms."

"How?"

"Well you hid in here after one began back when you were six. Your mother had gone to Atlantica, so she wasn't here."

"The Storm Chaser." Melody said softly.

"What was that?" Eric asked.

"The Storm Chaser." Melody repeated. "It…" Her voice trailed off as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips.

"Well you remembered the name." He said encouragingly. "That's something."

"I guess."

"Would you like me to tell you the story?"

Melody nodded.

Eric smiled at her as he began his tale.

"It was a year before I met your mother. We had just left for life at sea. Grim had warned me about huge storms, but I didn't' listen. I wasn't worried about that."

Melody chimed in just then.

"A good sailor knows how to handle fear."

"That's right." Eric said. "Your mother knows that best of all."

"Has Mom ever been on a ship before?"

"Many times." Eric told her. "She never got sea sick either."

"So what about the Storm Chaser?" Melody asked. She then surprised herself and added, "It was the last ship your father built, right?"

"Exactly." Eric said. "See? You're gonna be fine. Now, back to the story…." With that, he recalled the tale for his daughter.

Halfway through it, Ariel found them. She stood at the door, watching the scene in silence.

She didn't want to disturb the sweet moment.

After Eric was done, Melody was looking tired.

"What do you say?" He asked. "Want to rest before dinner?"

Melody nodded.

She allowed Eric to help her stand.

It was only when she turned around, did she notice her mother standing there.

She frowned. She was about to apologize, but Ariel spoke first.

"Melody, you don't have to be sorry for anything." She assured her. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm glad you and Daddy are spending time together again."

Melody nodded. She allowed Ariel to pick her up and carry her upstairs.

Tucking her in, Ariel sang her a song and stayed with her for a little bit.

Eric poked his head into check on her.

"She's getting there." He said.

"I know. I just want her to be okay."

"She will be." Eric said. "We're doing the best thing for her." He then caught the look on Ariel's face. "What is it?" He asked.

Ariel shook her head.

"Part of me wants her to wake up and remember everything and apart of me I scared how she'll react when that happens."

"React to what?"

"When she remembers everything, it's likely she'll remember the accident too."

"Maybe not." Eric said. "Some people don't."

"You've seen this before?" She asked.

"I've seen it happen once or twice." He said.

Ariel put a hand through Melody's hair.

"Also half of me wants her to wake up in my arms where she knows she's safe, but I know she has to get used to her own bed again."

"Nobody said that has to be now." Eric reminded her.

Ariel nodded as she gently lifted Melody and set her in her lap.

"There ya go." She whispered. "Sweet dreams, Melody. I love you." With that, she started to hum, hoping it would keep Melody calm.

The next week or so passed in the same fashion as the ones before.

It wasn't until that Saturday when something changed.

Melody had just laid down for a short nap and Ariel had assigned Sebastian the job of watching her.

Melody hadn't been asleep for long when her mind started to feel strange.

It felt as though it was searching for something. Something big.

Melody woke up gasping for air twenty minutes later.

She was also clutching the right side of her head as pain shot through it.

The pain didn't last long, which was strange in itself. She was used to it lasting more than ten minutes, but it hadn't this time.

"Child, are you all right?" Sebastian asked. "Do you want me to get your mudder?"

Melody shook her head.

"No. It's okay. I'm fine." She then got a good look around and gazed at Sebastian in confusion. "Sebastian, what are we doing back home? Why aren't we on the boat?"

"Melody, what was de last song I gave you to memorize?"

Melody gave him a Look.

"Don't' remind me." She said.

"What was it?" He pressed.

"Okay, okay. Gosh. Someone's grumpy. "The Treasures of the Sea." And I'm never singing it again."

"Ariel!" He shouted with all his might.

"Sebastian, what is it?" She asked as she ran into the room. She then saw Melody was awake. "Melody, honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Ariel sat on the bed and reached her hand out to stroke her daughter's hair.

Before Sebastian could say anything, Melody posed the question to her mother.

"Mom, why aren't we on the boat?" She asked.

"The boat? Honey, the cruise is over."

"Ariel, ask her something." Sebastian said.

"I should be asking you why you yelled."

"Girl, just do it."

"Okay."

Taking a deep breath, she turned to Melody.

"What's my name for boats?"

Melody giggled before answering her.

"Floatamajiggers.!" She said.

"Let me try! Let me try!" Sebastian said eagerly. "Who's the best story teller you know?"

Melody gave him a strange look.

"Pearl. Aunt Andrina's always saying she's gonna be a great writer one day."

"Yes! Melody's memory's back!"

"What happened?" Melody asked as Ariel hugged her tightly. "You two are acting really strange. Mom, can you loosen up a little?"

"Sorry." Ariel said as she pulled away. "But I have one more question for you."  
"Okay." She said.

"What did Daddy give me on our first Christmas together?"

"A hairbrush with a dinglehopper in the middle of it." She said without any hesitation.

"You're gonna be fine." Ariel said. "But you still have to rest though. How about we take a trip down to Atlantica this weekend."

"Sounds good to me. " Melody said.

"And maybe we can go visit Aunt Aquata later today."

"Wait a minute." Melody said, remembering something else. "I thought I was beached."

"Beached?" Ariel asked in confusion.

Melody nodded.

Ariel shook her head.

"Oh yeah. Never mind about that.""

"Really? Okay, if you say so."

"Are you hungry?" Ariel asked.

"Yeah!" Melody replied. "Really hungry."

"All right, come on. Let's go downstairs and I'll make you something to eat."

Melody followed her mother down to the kitchen with Sebastian scurrying behind them.

When they got there, Melody sat in her usual place and Sebastian hopped up on the table.

Just then, Eric walked in. He looked preoccupied about something.

"What's wrong, Dad?" Melody asked.

"Nothing important." Eric said.

"You lost your keys to the shop again, didn't you?" She asked.

Ariel touched her husband's arm.

"Eric, can I talk to you in the living room? Now."

"Sure." He said. "If you help me find my keys afterwards."

As they left the room, Melody called after them.

"Check in the dining room cabinet!"

When they reached the living room, Eric spoke first.

"She got her memory back, didn't she?"

"Uh-huh." Ariel replied with a smile. "Sebastian announced it to half the palace when he found out."

"I'll bet." Eric said with a chuckle.

Just then, the phone rang.

"Hello?" Ariel asked as she picked it up.

"Hey sis. It's me." Came Aquata's voice. "How's Melody?"

"She's fine." Ariel said mysteriously.

"Well, I just thought I'd let you know that you're gonna be getting a visitor in the next few minutes."

"Who?" Ariel asked just as the doorbell rang.

"Open it and you'll see." Aquata told her. 'I love you. I have to go. I have to get Cadence ready for her dance lesson."

"Okay. Talk to you later." With that, she hung up the phone.

Ariel gasped when she saw who was on the other side of the door.

"Arista, what are you doing here?" She asked.

She led her sister in and over to a chair.

"I was visiting Aquata." She explained. "And I Thought I'd come over and see how Melody's doing."

Ariel nodded.

"Well…we have some good news."

"What is it?" Arista asked.

But before Ariel could say anything, Melody joined them. Her eyes lit up when she saw who else was there.

"Aunt Arista!" She shouted, throwing her arms around her.

Arista hugged back. She didn't' need Ariel to tell her what had happened.

Seeing the smile on Melody's face and the greeting she had received from her was answer enough.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Arista said. "You had us all worried."

Melody frowned. She made herself comfortable on Arista's lap and gazed around at her parents and Sebastian.

"What happened?" She asked.

Ariel sighed. She looked to Eric who mouthed, "Tell her the truth." And then back to Melody.

"The boat exploded." Ariel explained. "And you fell off and hit your head."

"You couldn't remember anyting for a while." Sebastian chimed in.

Melody nodded.

"I'm glad I'm feeling better." She said.

"SO are we." Ariel agreed.

After a while, Melody went to play the piano and left the adults to talk in the living room.

"I'm sorry." Arista apologized once the little girl was out of earshot. "I didn't know she didn't know what happened."

"It's okay." Ariel said. "She was bound to find out sooner or later. She was really glad to see you."  
"Arista smiled.

"I was glad to see her too."

"It was a nice change from what happened last time." Ariel mused.

"You got dat one right, girl." Sebastian said.

Arista giggled.

"I know. But everyone understood."

It was then that a familiar tune was heard throughout the palace.

"Dat doesn't sound like de song I gave you!" Sebastian said with irritation.

"That's because it isn't!" Melody called back.

Ariel giggled.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that things are back to normal around here. Whatever that is."

THE END


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